According to reports from Yahoo’s Pete Thamel and FOX’s Bruce Feldman, Boston College is set to hire Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to be the Eagles’ new head coach in the coming days.
OSU has not yet confirmed the reports.
Hafley, who is also the secondary coach for the Buckeyes, has been instrumental in turning one of the most frustrating defenses a year ago into one of the best defenses in the country this season.
In just one year in Columbus, Ohio State went from the No. 71 total defense in 2018 to the No. 2 total defense currently in 2019. The Buckeyes also went from the No. 50 scoring defense last season to the No. 2 scoring defense this season.
For his deeds, Hafley was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.
Hafley came to Ohio State from San Francisco where he was the secondary coach from 2016-2018. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed by two years with the Cleveland Browns before heading to the 49ers.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and Hafley coached together with the 49ers in 2016 before Day came to OSU prior to the 2017 season.
In 2011, Hafley was the secondary coach at Rutgers for Greg Schiano.
A New Jersey native, Hafley is familiar with college football in the Northeast and the draw to head back in that direction was obviously too much to turn down.
He takes over a program that has fired its last three head coaches, including Steve Addazio most recently. Addazio took over in 2013 and went 44-44 over his seven seasons in Chestnut Hill.
Coincidentally, Ryan Day also coached at Boston College from 2007-2011 and then again from 2013-2014. Boston College’s athletic director is Martin Jarmond, who was part of Ohio State’s athletic department from 2009-2016.
Jarmond tweeted this late Friday night.
— Martin Jarmond (@MartinJarmond) December 14, 2019
Hafley, who has been out on the recruiting trail this week for the Buckeyes, is expected to stay on staff until the conclusion of this season.